Deck 5: Human Resource Planning

Question 1

Scenario analysis involves thoroughly examining internal practices and procedures and measuring them against the ways other successful organizations operate.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Changes in workforce refer not only to the workforce composition but also to its work habits.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

"On-demand software" involves users accessing standard business applications over the Internet.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

An HRIS is a database system.

Question 5

A clear statement of the organization's mission is one of the prerequisites to HR planning.

Question 6

The first challenge of HRP is to devise plans for securing the necessary employees.

Question 7

eHR systems are an example of an intranet.

Question 8

One problem with many succession plans is the "crowned prince" syndrome.

Question 9

Time series analysis is a statistical procedure in which measures of work output,such as units produced or amount of sales,are examined in relation to staffing levels to discover stable relationships.

Question 10

Changes such as retirements can be forecasted with reasonable accuracy from information in the skills inventory.

Question 11

Long-term performance objectives generally have a time schedule and are expressed quantitatively.

Question 12

Under strategy-linked HRP,line managers serve as consultants to human resource managers.

Question 13

The objective-setting process in an organization begins at the top of the organization.

Question 14

A layoff is synonymous with termination.

Question 15

The long-term success of any organization ultimately depends on having the right people in the right jobs at the right time.

Question 16

Human resource planning must be conducted independently from an organization's strategic plan to ensure its effectiveness.

Question 17

The cascade approach is a form of top-down planning,whereby objectives are passed to higher levels of the organization.

Question 18

The Delphi technique and management estimates method are both statistical in nature.

Question 19

Short-range planning is five years or less.

Question 20

Most managers view HRP as one of their most important job responsibilities.

Question 21

With reference to the cascade approach,divisional and departmental objectives are immediately derived from the organization's:

A)short-term performance objectives.
B)HRP.
C)statement of mission.
D)long-term objectives.

Question 22

Human resource planning is also called:

A)workforce planning.
B)business planning.
C)organizational planning.
D)strategic planning.

Question 23

An organization's short-range net needs for human resources are reflected in the:

A)numbers,kinds,dates,and levels of needs.
B)management expectations of future conditions affecting immediate decisions.
C)numbers and kinds of employees needed.
D)operating needs from budgets and plans.

Question 24

The aim of the cascade approach to objective-setting is to:

A)reward employees for successes.
B)involve all levels of management in planning.
C)ensure that strategies remain subordinate to functional goals.
D)create more job categories.

Question 25

In which of the following methods of forecasting human resource needs are estimates made either by top-level managers and passed down,or by lower-level managers and passed up for further revision,or by some combination of upper- and lower-level managers?

A)Mathematical estimates
B)Delphi technique
C)Managerial estimate
D)Scenario analysis

Question 26

Which of the following is true about strategy-linked HRP?

A)This concept holds that HRP should be handled solely by human resource personnel.
B)HR managers serve as consultants to line managers concerning the people-management implications of business objectives and strategies.
C)All managers should view human resource planning as one of their most important job responsibilities.
D)The commitment of top management is irrelevant in strategy-linked HRP.

Question 27

The first challenge of HRP is to:

A)devise plans for securing the necessary employees.
B)set the organization's strategic objectives.
C)translate the organization's plans and objectives into a timed schedule of employee requirements.
D)reduce turnover by keeping employees apprised of their career opportunities within the company.

Question 28

According to

A)treat HRP as an important and vital part of their long-term business plan.
B)have no long-term business plan.
C)engage in some aspects of HRP apart from the long-term business plan.
D)Quinn Mills,companies at Stage 5 of human resource planning:
D)have a long-term business plan,but tend to be skeptical of HRP.

Question 29

Intermediate-range organizational plans are frequently set to reflect a time span of:

A)six months to one year.
B)two to five years.
C)three to six months.
D)five to ten years.

Question 30

Getting the right number of qualified people into the right job at the right time is known as:

A)downsizing.
B)rightsizing.
C)human resource planning.
D)tactical planning.

Question 31

Which of the following statements about human resource planning (HRP)is NOT true?

A)HRP is not strictly a human resource function.
B)Many managers view HRP as something to do only after everything else has been done.
C)Line managers should view HRP as one of their most important job responsibilities.
D)Most managers consider HRP as one of their most important job responsibilities.

Question 32

With reference to the cascade approach,an organization's long-term objectives and strategies are formulated based on the:

A)various short-term performance objectives.
B)divisional and departmental objectives.
C)organization's mission statement.
D)human resource objectives.

Question 33

With ____,each member of a panel of experts independently estimates future demand; an intermediary then presents each expert's forecast and assumptions to the others,so that the experts can then revise their positions if they so desire.

A)scenario analysis
B)the Delphi technique
C)managerial estimates
D)benchmarking

Question 34

Scenario analysis primarily involves the use of:

A)minutes of shareholder meetings.
B)workforce environmental scanning data.
C)revenue reports of the past two quarters.
D)focus group tallies on product innovations.

Question 35

A(n)_____ defines the organization's current and future business.

A)HRP
B)operational strategy
C)long-term business plan
D)statement of mission

Question 36

The use of past staffing levels,instead of workload levels,to project future HR requirements is the essence of which statistical model?

A)Productivity ratios
B)Regression analysis
C)Time-series analysis
D)Personnel ratios

Question 37

_____ involves examining past personnel data to determine historical relationships among the number of employees in various jobs or job categories.

A)Time-series analysis
B)Personnel ratios
C)Productivity ratios
D)Regression analysis

Question 38

Organizational objectives should do all of the following EXCEPT:

A)be stated in terms of expected results.
B)become the basis upon which the corporate mission is defined.
C)enhance the sense of purpose for members.
D)give direction to its members.

Question 39

According to

A)Stage 1
B)Stage 2
C)Stage 3
D)Quinn Mills,companies at which of the following stages have a long-term business plan,but tend to be skeptical of HRP?
D)Stage 4

Question 40

Which of the following steps is involved in scenario analysis?

A)An intermediary presents each expert's forecast and assumptions to the others and allows the experts to revise their positions if they desire.
B)Internal practices and procedures are examined and measured against the ways other successful organizations operate.
C)Top-level managers estimate the human resource needs and this information is then passed down to the lower-level managers.
D)Once the forecast is crystallized regarding the future workforce,the managers then work backward to identify key change points.

Question 41

_____ involves demoting an employee,downgrading job responsibilities,or a combination of the two.

A)Reclassification
B)Layoff
C)Termination
D)Voluntary resignation inducement

Question 42

Which of the following approaches for reducing human resource costs results in employees being forced to leave the organization?

A)Reclassification
B)Transfer
C)Termination
D)Work sharing

Question 43

_____ involve(s)users accessing standard business applications over the Internet on a pay-as-you-go basis,usually for a monthly subscription fee.

A)Virtualization
B)SaaS
C)Private clouds
D)Crowdsourcing

Question 44

_____ seeks to limit layoffs and terminations through the proportional reduction of hours among employees.

A)Reclassification
B)Work sharing
C)Job sharing
D)A transfer

Question 45

_____ use(s)Web-based communities and hosted services such as social networking sites,blogs,and wikis.

A)Virtualizations
B)Web 2.0
C)Private clouds
D)Application programming interfaces

Question 46

The "crowned prince" syndrome refers to:

A)failing to identify critical positions throughout the organization.
B)providing voluntary resignation inducements only to people falling in the higher salary bracket in the organization.
C)only those who have managed to become visible to senior management being considered for advancement.
D)focusing on just the senior-most levels in the organizations when planning for succession.

Question 47

What are the various advantages of employing contingent workers?

Question 48

Explain Web 2.0.

Question 49

Explain the scenario analysis method used for forecasting human resource needs.

Question 50

Write a short note on skills inventory.What are the advantages of a skills inventory?

Question 51

A brief assessment of a manager's past performance,strengths,weaknesses,and potential for advancement is included in a:

A)skills inventory.
B)job description.
C)job analysis.
D)management inventory.

Question 52

List various areas that represent specific potential applications for an HRIS.

Question 53

A _____ enables specific groups such as business partners,customers,or vendors to access an organization's intranet.

A)blog
B)SaaS
C)Web portal
D)wiki

Question 54

A _____ is a knowledge base developed over time by users with access to create and edit text on the site.

A)blog
B)SaaS
C)Web portal
D)wiki

Question 55

Human resource planning (HRP)is not strictly a human resource function.Explain.

Question 56

Define the cascade approach to setting objectives.

Question 57

Discuss strategy-linked HRP.

Question 58

Differentiate between replacement planning and succession planning.What are the problems with succession plans?

Question 59

Discuss the basic steps in the human resource planning process.

Question 60

The difference between succession planning and replacement planning is that succession planning:

A)focuses on identifying a "backup" to fill a job when it becomes vacant.
B)focuses on past performance and demonstrating the skills necessary to perform the job.
C)emphasizes naming replacements.
D)anticipates changing organization needs.